Mother, I love you
by Sunlight-Spider Monkey
Summary: Somethings you lose, somethings you can never give up. This is the story of Raffaello, and his trip though Ellis Island. (Raffaello is one of they newsies, he just hasn't gotten his name yet.) Read and Review!


Disclaimer: I don't own newsies, or the history of Ellis Island.  
  
Love you, Mother  
  
'La madre, lo ricorderò sempre, finché il giorno muoio.'  
  
November 16, 1892  
  
"Come, mio figlio, we must hurry." My mother called to me.  
  
"Yes, mamma." I smiled, as she grabbed my hand and pulled me onto the deck of the ship. We had been traveling for four weeks on this smelly old boat, and everyone seemed to be excited to see the tall lady. She was very pretty... for a over grown green person.  
  
"Hurry, mio figlio, hurry!" My mother called once more. I followed her to the front of the ship. "You see her?"  
  
"Yes, mamma, I see her. Who is she?" I asked looking up at the beautiful face of my mother.  
  
She smiled down at me, then looked up at the lady once more, "Ms. Liberty."  
  
I looked at the statue, "Ms. Liberty..."  
  
* * *  
  
November 17, 1892  
  
"Mamma, I'm tired. How much longer must we stand in this lungo line?" I wined; we have been standing in line for quite some time waiting to leave the ship. It was early morning and it had been about two hours since we had reached the shore.  
  
"Not long now, mio figlio, not long now." She said grabbing onto my hand. "You see, Raffaello, were going down now." We walked slowly down the long plank, so we didn't fall off into the water.  
  
It was a small island, it wasn't to small, but it was small. I looked around at all the different looking people. There was a small family consisting of a Father, Mother, Daughter and two sons. The older son had semi-long blond hair, and was talking to his father in some sort of language.  
  
(Translation at bottom)  
  
"Vader, indien u Moeder nemen moet en Katrien steunt, zal ik met Dirk blijven." He said to his father.  
  
"Pieter, hoe zult u je broer en u zelf zorgen voor?" The father asked his son.  
  
The older son smiled down at his little brother, who looked to be six or seven, "Dit is Amerika, het huis van gelegenheid!" He ruffled the hair of his brother, "Well manage." He said in poor English.  
  
My mother saw me staring, and shook my shoulder, "Don't stare, mio figlio."  
  
"Yes mamma." I said walking up though the line with my mother.  
  
She smiled down at me as we kept walking, "We're in America now, mio figlio, the home of opportunity."  
  
I looked up at her, "What does 'opportunity' mean?"  
  
She kissed my forehead, "It means we have a chance."  
  
I smiled. "America."  
  
* * *  
  
November 18, 1892  
  
After waiting all night we finally heard our last name called, as we approached the small desk the old man smiled at us.  
  
"Are you the only ones of the family?" the man asked, his English was poor, and it was hard to tell what he was saying. But we understood.  
  
"Yes, my husband died three years ago, and my daughter..." My mother looked to the ground.  
  
"She died on the ship." I said to the man, "she got really sick."  
  
The man nodded, "I'm very sorry."  
  
My mother worked a weak smile onto her face.  
  
"Will you come this way for inspection?" the man asked.  
  
Mother nodded, and grabbed onto my hand once more.  
  
"This is Mrs. Handers, she'll inspect you two." The man smiled, then walked back to the desk.  
  
"Hello." The lady's smile was missing a few teeth in the front.  
  
"Mio figlio, you'll go first." My mother said, pushing me forward.  
  
"Mamma, I don't want to leave you." I cried out.  
  
"I'll be right here when your finished." She smiled.  
  
I smiled, then walked over to a corner with the lady.  
  
She quietly inspected me for about twenty minutes; then, looked up at me and smiled, "Your fine. Welcome to America."  
  
I clapped my hands and laughed as I ran to my mother, "Mamma, I'm in America now!"  
  
She ruffled my hair, "You were already in America, but now you get to go into the city."  
  
I smiled.  
  
"I have to go over now. You stay right here." She smiled then walked over with the lady.  
  
I sat on a small bench and watched all the people go by. Looking around I saw a boy who looked about my age sneaking around and getting into people's pockets. He looked up at me and I smiled and waved him over.  
  
He slowly walked over, looking at me like I was some sort of alien. "Hi..." He said to me.  
  
"Hello, what were you doing?" I asked, looking into his hand, which had coins in it.  
  
He looked down the smiled looking back at me, "Getting' money."  
  
"Oh... Why?"  
  
He gave me a weird look, "Cause I got ta eat."  
  
"Don't you have a Mamma?" I asked him.  
  
He laughed, "No, She died a long time ago."  
  
"Oh..."  
  
"Do you?" he asked me.  
  
I nodded, "She's over there." I nodded toward her direction.  
  
He smiled, "I see. Well I 'ave ta go. See ya around."  
  
I nodded. He left, then my mother began to walk back towards me, tears in her eyes.  
  
"Mamma, whats wrong? Mamma?" I ran up to her. She wrapped her arms around me, then kissed my head.  
  
"Sorry, mio figlio." She said, tears rolling down her cheek.  
  
"Sorry for what Mamma? Mamma what's wrong?" I said, tears now in my eyes.  
  
"I can't go." She smiled weakly.  
  
"What, Mamma what do you mean?" I cried.  
  
"I can't go into America." She hugged me again.  
  
"But Mamma, we're already in America."  
  
She smiled weakly, "I have to go back."  
  
"Why Mamma?"  
  
"I'm sick, mio figlio, I can't go."  
  
I felt tears down my cheek. "I'll go with you."  
  
"No, no, no. We don't have enough money. Besides, you must stay here and live free." She smiled, then kissed me once more.  
  
"Mamma..."  
  
"Shh... go."  
  
She walked away, and I went though the doors, into America, the home of opportunity.  
  
"Hey, Itey."  
  
I turned to the voice of the other boy. "What?"  
  
"You'se Italian right?" he asked.  
  
I nodded.  
  
"I'm Snitch, we'll call you'se Itey. Come wit' me. You'se can be a Newsboy wit' me." He smiled.  
  
"Okay..."  
  
-Fin-  
  
A/N: Okay, That was my story. I just wanted to do a one shot so... there is is. I'm putting another chapter up which is just history stuff on Ellis Island, if you didn't know much about it. And then I'll do translations in this chapter. Love ya all, please Review.  
  
Translations.  
  
Italian  
  
mio figlio - my son  
  
Mamma - mommy  
  
Lungo - Long  
  
Dutch, I know you wanted to know what they said.  
  
"Vader, indien u Moeder nemen moet en Katrien steunt, zal ik met Dirk blijven." - "Father, if you have to take mother and Katrien home, I'll stay with Dirk."  
  
"Pieter, hoe zult u je broer en u zelf zorgen voor?" - "Peter, how will you take care of your brother and yourself?"  
  
"Dit is Amerika, het huis van gelegenheid!" - "This is America, The home of opportunity!" 


End file.
